This invention relates to game playing methods for gaming machines such as video slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing player tracking services and related gaming services on a gaming machine.
There are a wide variety of associated devices that can be connected to a gaming machine such as a slot machine or video poker machine. Some examples of these devices are player tracking units, lights, ticket printers, card readers, speakers, bill validators, ticket readers, coin acceptors, display panels, key pads, coin hoppers and button pads. Many of these devices are built into the gaming machine or components associated with the gaming machine such as a top box which usually sits on top of the gaming machine.
Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, the gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourage game play on the gaming machine. For example, a game played on a gaming machine usually requires a player to input money or indicia of credit into the gaming machine, indicate a wager amount, and initiate a game play. These steps require the gaming machine to control input devices, including bill validators and coin acceptors, to accept money into the gaming machine and recognize user inputs from devices, such as button pads and levers, to determine the wager amount and initiate game play.
After game play has been initiated, the gaming machine determines a game outcome, presents the game outcome to the player and may dispense an award of some type depending on the outcome of the game. A game outcome presentation may utilize many different visual and audio components such as flashing lights, music, sounds and graphics. The visual and audio components of the game outcome presentation may be used to draw a players attention to various game features and to heighten the players interest in additional game play. Maintaining a game player's interest in game play, such as on a gaming machine or during other gaming activities, is an important consideration for an operator of a gaming establishment.
One related method of gaining and maintaining a game player's interest in game play are player tracking programs which are offered at various casinos. Player tracking programs provide rewards to players that typically correspond to the player's level of patronage (e.g., to the player's playing frequency and/or total amount of game plays at a given casino). Player tracking rewards may be free meals, free lodging and/or free entertainment. These rewards may help to sustain a game player's interest in additional game play during a visit to a gaming establishment and may entice a player to visit a gaming establishment to partake in various gaming activities.
In general, player tracking programs may be applied to any game of chance offered at a gaming establishment. In particular, player tracking programs are very popular with players of mechanical slot gaming machines and video slot gaming machines. In a gaming machine, a player tracking program is implemented using a player tracking unit installed in the gaming machine and in communication with a remote player tracking server. Player tracking units are usually manufactured as an after-market device separate from the gaming machine. Many different companies manufacture player tracking units as part of player tracking/accounting systems. These player tracking/accounting systems are used in most casinos. Most casinos utilize only one type of player tracking system (i.e. from one manufacturer) while the type of player tracking system varies from casino to casino.
Player tracking cards and player tracking programs have become a de facto marketing method of doing business at casinos. The programs allow a casino to identify and reward customers based upon their previous game play history. In particular, a goal of the casinos is to identify and then to provide a higher level of service to certain groups of players identified as especially valuable to the casinos. An incentive of a casino for providing these services is to generate “brand” loyalty, and thus, repeat business from its valued customers. For instance, players that visit the casino, on average, once a week may be deemed as “special” customers and the casino may desire to cultivate a “special” relationship with these customers. In general, the selection of gaming services offered to players via loyalty programs, such as player tracking programs, is increasing. Also, the gaming services offered to a the casino misses the opportunity to cultivate as a “special” relationship with the player.
A cardless tracking system has been developed where a player may register for a tracking account at a gaming machine. The cardless tracking system requires the player to select an account number and identification number and then later fill out a registration form stating their name, address and other required information and mail the registration form to a location for processing. In the cardless system, the account number and the identification number are entered with a key pad at the gaming machine to access the tracking system. The account number and the identification number must be remembered by the player to use the system.
Disadvantages of the cardless system approach are that the account number and PIN number are easily forgotten especially when a player's has multiple tracking accounts at different venues. Another disadvantage of the cardless system approach is that the two step method of requiring the player to mail in the registration form after registering on the gaming machine decreases the likely hood that the registration process will be successfully completed. For instance, the player may lose the registration form or forget to mail it in. Finally, the cardless approach is generally less secure because the player must visibly enter their account number and PIN number using a key pad at the gaming machine. Thus, it is fairly easy for someone to steal a player's account number and PIN number. Because the cardless approach is relatively insecure, the gaming services that may be provided with the cardless system are limited. For instance, it is unlikely that the capability to redeem tracking points at the gaming machine would be provided with the cardless system approach because it would be too easy for someone to steal another player's account number and PIN number and use the stolen numbers to redeem their tracking points.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide apparatus and methods that simplify the method of registering a player to a player tracking program.